Eggnog has long been a traditional Christmas drink in my family! And we aren’t talking about that stuff you can buy at the grocery store. We are talking raw eggs, lots of whipping cream, and lots of alcohol…the actual homemade kind!!
When I was little, we used to have very, very large family gatherings, and my aunt would make an awesome batch of eggnog. It was so yummy…yes…we were allowed to have a few sips even though it was quite potent! But my favorite memories were when my great-grandmother…we called her Mammoo…would have a glass…and then two! And that was all it took! She looked forward to it every year, and I just loved hearing her asking for a glass of eggnog. It was like it was her own guilty pleasure because she had grown up very Southern Baptist. But believe me…she was not missing out on that festive libation!
When I first married Adam, we used to have an annual Christmas party (pre-kids…haha!), and I continued the tradition of the eggnog. It was such a crowd pleaser, and as my friends would tell me, “It can peel paint right off of the walls!” But it is one of those recipes that just makes me happy to make. And the funniest part is that now I live my life basically dairy-free so I usually don’t partake except for those few sips like I did when I was a child! 🙂
It can peel paint right off of the walls
Now, if you are a Southern girl, you or your mother probably has a copy of the Women’s Exchange Cookbook from Memphis, Tennessee. IF you do, this recipe is on page 224 of Volume I. It is Dr. McGehee’s EGGNOG recipe submitted by Mrs. James W. Wrape. It is delicious, and I pretty much follow it to the T, but I double the bourbon/whiskey….like my friends said…”it peels paint!” Haha!
If you wish to purchase this cookbook, I found a couple of copies on Amazon. It really is a timeless cook book to have in your repertoire. Click on the photo to snag one for yourself!
You will need three medium sized bowls! Start by separating the egg yolks from the egg whites into two separate bowls. In the first bowl with the egg yolks beat them with a mixer until they are lighter yellow color! Then slowly add in your alcohol…remember, I double the whiskey/bourbon quantities!!
No one will judge you if you take a quick pull from the bottle! Haha! Afterall, it is the holidays, and aren’t we all just trying to survive??!! :):):)
In the second bowl, mix your milk with your sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add this to the egg yolk/alcohol mixture.
In the third bowl that has the egg whites, add your whipping cream and use the hand mixer to beat the whites and cream until it is fluffy and thick! Fold this into the egg yolk mix, and then sprinkle with nutmeg!
You may make this a day in advance, but you will need to give it a stir. It really thickens up! 🙂
EGGNOG (Dr. McGehee’s)
Serves 28 (I usually half or 1/4 the recipe for a party!)
28 eggs, separated
1 1/2 qt. bourbon, rye, or corn whiskey
1 fifth rum
1 fifth brandy
8 c. sugar
4 qt. milk (I use whole)
4 qt. heavy cream
3 grated nutmeg
Beat yolks until very light in color. Very, very slowly add bourbon, rum, and brandy. Dissolve sugar in milk, add slowly to yolks and liquor, stirring constantly. Fold in whipped cream and stiffly beaten egg whites. Sprinkle nutmeg on top.
here are the items i used to make my eggnog!
AND I make sure to order all of my ingredients from @instacart ! There is no way we are missing any family time if we place an order! It arrives within two hours and makes our life so easy! If you haven’t tried Instacart yet, there is no better time! Try them out by copy and pasting this link http://instacart.pxf.io/c/420989/415991/7412
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Have yourself a very Merry Christmas, and cheers to a wonderful New Year!
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– XOXO, Kate & Chan